


Aboard the Rocinante

by asongincomplete



Category: The Expanse (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-10-23 02:10:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10709988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asongincomplete/pseuds/asongincomplete
Summary: A little banter on their first night on the Roci.





	1. One

The Roci was a nice little gunner, but Bobbie couldn’t quite relax. Not that she was surprised after months on the skiff. Hopping from one safe harbor to another, trying to keep Coytar and Avasarala safe, she was fucking exhausted. They all were.

A hot shower and a hot meal sounded better than seeing the ocean again, but she’d let Avasarala go first and got nothing but the weird tightness in her chest for her trouble. Pure exhaustion, Bobbie told herself, nothing to do with seeing a freshly showered Avasarala, smiling for the first time in weeks, nothing at all. 

“Used all the hot water, old Lady?” 

Chrisjen’s smile widened just like it had at the hearing before she’d told the lieutenant to fuck off, “Call me that one more time and they’ll find Epstein’s body long before they find yours. I promise.” 

She said it with the easy nonchalance Bobbie had heard when she threatened Coytar on the skiff before everything went to hell. It was soft, almost affectionate. “A true Martian funeral, I’m honored.” 

Chrisjen chuckled a little, “It’s always nice to know I’m right.” 

Bobbie frowned as she walked past, “What?” 

“Still a soldier, Sergeant, always willing to die for your cause. I wonder if you remember how to take orders like a good soldier should.” 

She walked away leaving Bobbie to grapple with the sudden surge of tension. Damn it all to hell, the last thing she needed was some schoolgirl crush on Chrisjen fucking Avasarala. 


	2. Two

    The Roci was a nice little gunner, not built for long missions. Crew quarters were few, given its complement was only supposed to be twelve, it was no big surprise. It wasn’t exactly ideal, though, four crew cabins and eight of them, well seven actually since Holden and Naomi shared a bed. Still, their recent addition meant shuffling the crew around, Alex had given up his more spacious cabin to Avasarala, bunking down with Amos, which left Bobbie to bunk with Pax. She never minded sharing her space in the MCRN, but she just couldn’t sleep that night. 

    She left her bed and room quietly, moving to the other end of the crew deck towards Avasarala’s cabin. Only the hum of the engines and the air recyclers filled the Roci, everyone was asleep or peacefully enjoying their alone time, the ship would wake them up if she needed them. The silence made it even harder to ignore her heavy breathing, and it gave her pause as she stood in front of Avasarala’s door. 

She opened the door before she could talk herself out of it, just checking on her, she told herself. Nothing to get worked up over.

Avasarala was leaning back against the pillows. The bright pink sari tossed at the end of the bed. She looked peaceful. “Well, are you going to come in or just stand there Sergeant?” 

Bobbie stepped into the room letting the door close behind her, she took another step and stood at attention, because she was doing her job. 

Avasarala opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow, “Are you going to tell me what the fuck is going on or do I have to guess?”

Bobbie relaxed at little at the Under Secretary’s favorite word. “I wanted to check that you were alright, first night aboard and all that. New crew.” 

“You don’t trust Holden and his people?” 

“You do. Why?”

“Holden is a good man Sergeant, besides we need each other.” 

 Bobbie nodded, “I’d like to keep watch if you don’t mind.” 

  “I need you alert and ready in case Holden gets into his usual shit fest.” 

“I’ll sleep on the floor.” 

Bobbie watched Avasarala’s face turn a little dark, “You’re not stupid Bobbie don’t act like you are. The bed is big enough for two unless you’re scared of, what did you call me? An old lady.” 

 “Not scared, no.” 

 “Then be a good soldier and do as you're told.” 

  Bobbie walked to the bed, letting Avasarala know she was going to do just that, then stopped. “I’m not a Marine anymore, not a soldier.” 

Avasarala turned back the covers, “You are my marine, Bobbie, or am I mistaken in thinking I have your loyalty?” 

Bobbie tucked herself in next to her boss quietly thinking and measuring her words for once in her life. “You have my loyalty, and not just because you gave me asylum.” 

“I doubt that counts for much now. We are both in unchartered waters.” 

“I’ll keep you safe.” It was such a stupid thing to say, there was no guarantee that she could keep Avasarala alive long enough to end the monsters and deliver her back to Earth, but it felt real. 

“Sleep, Bobbie.” 

     Her voice was soft, but Bobbie followed the order just the same. 


	3. Three

The Roci was a nice little gunner, but it was strange at night. It set her more on edge than she’d been the entire trip on the skiff, which was saying something. Bobbie was a Martian Marine, she grown up under domes and then shipped out for training aboard one of the home defense warships in orbit, this ship was Martian just like her, but neither gave her any comfort. 

Instead, all Bobbie felt was restless. It was too quiet and still even with the usual background noise. The cabin was too small, the bed even smaller. She was too warm. 

Avasarala’s nearness wasn’t helping much either, the hand lazily resting on her arm seemed to burn through the fabric of her long sleeve shirt. It was maddening. The lack of stimuli around her made her hyper-aware of her bedmate, her slow breathing, her body heat, and it was getting worse every night. 

Bobbie had managed maybe seven hours of shut-eye in three night. 

Behind her Chrisjen sighed heavily, her breath tickling Bobbie’s neck. “What the fuck is it now?” Bobbie made no sound keeping as still as possible. “Oh for fuck sake Bobbie, you’ve been restless all night. You’ve been restless since we got aboard this ship. You need sleep and more importantly so do I, so fucking tell me what’s wrong or go back to your damn bunk.” 

Fuck that, Bobbie thought. “I’ll sleep on the floor.” She sat up on the bed, but before she could flip the covers off Chrisjen’s hand was on her waist, everything stilled, and it was like they were in a high g burn. 

“I hate wasting time, especially time I could be sleeping. We’ve had this conversation, no sleeping on the floor. No going back to your bunk now, Cotyar is too old to sleep in a chair, and you gave it up, so just tell me what’s bothering you before I lose my patience.” 

“I didn’t realize you had any.” 

Chrisjen laughed dryly, “I’ve been nothing if not patient with you. Tell me, or I’m going to start worrying you’re keeping secrets.” 

“You’re questioning my loyalty?” Bobbie felt the adrenaline hit her as her anger spiked. If Chrisjen Avasarala, started questioning her loyalty, then Bobbie would have no one, and she couldn’t deal with that. “Fuck you.” 

The hand on her waist moved ever so slightly back and forth, “Secrets leave both of us open to attack. I need to know everything so that I can anticipate everything. If you’ve developed a weak spot, I need to know before someone else exploits it.”

You, Bobbie thought, you are my weak spot. She wanted to say something, anything, but this time the words got stuck in her throat, and there was no pulling them out. She made her best petulant teenager impression and said, “It’s too fucking hot in here to sleep.” 

Chrisjen looked unpressed. “Well you can’t touch the environmental controls, or I’ll freeze so take off your fucking clothes and get back in here.” 

“Is that an order?” She knew she sounded angry like she was smarting for a fight, but it was the only emotion other than the completely inappropriate crush that she could muster up. 

“Whatever gets you back into my bed quickly?”

Bobbie wished Chrisjen picked her words better, wished that she meant it the way Bobbie wanted. 


	4. Chapter 4

The Roci was a nice little gunner, built Martian strong. Built to stand up to the UN Navy, built Martian strong just like her, something she was grateful for considering Holt really had a knack for getting into shit. They’d been on board for six days when the blues showed up, the navy ship wasn’t too much bigger than them, and it was alone, but they gave as good as they got. One of the torpedos got too close for comfort, and she’d seen Avasarala cringe in pain as they sped up to try to outrun it, and a switch had just flipped. 

She’d pulled the gun commands and let her training take over, shooting down anything that got close to them, allowing Alex to slow down, letting Chrisjen fucking Avasarala breathe easier. 

That was her driving force now, making sure Avasarala was as comfortable as possible. 

She tossed her jacket across the cabin, “Fuck! What the fuck are you doing Bobbie?”

“I was wondering the same thing.”

“Can’t I get one minute alone for fuck’s sake!”

Avasarala raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall, “If you really wanted to be alone you would have locked yourself in the toilets.” 

Bobbie stalked towards her unsure of what she would say, but her blood was pumping too quickly through her veins for her to think clearly. “You don’t know a damn thing about me Old Lady! You’ve no idea where I would or wouldn’t go, what I would or wouldn’t do.” She went toe to toe with her. “No idea what I want.” 

Bobbie expected Avasarala to take a step back. The woman was tough, but Bobbie towered over her. She was physically threatening and always would be. That didn’t happen. Instead, when Avasarala looked at her, there was only mirth in her eyes. 

They stared at each other for seconds, minutes, hours, Bobbie didn’t know, but it was long enough for Bobbie to lose herself in the intensity of it all. Lost in the dark gaze. Lost in how comfortable they were breathing the same air. Lost in the sound of her own thundering heart. 

“You’re playing with fire you know.”

Avasarala quirked an eyebrow, “Who said I was playing?” 

“You’re married.”

“He isn’t here, you are.” 

“Fuck,” Bobbie leaned down, lips grazing Avasarala’s soft ones. “I’m so fucked.” 

“Not yet.”   


**Author's Note:**

> I'm planning on a drabble series, don't know how long yet but hopefully it'll make a good first story for this pairing. -enjoy


End file.
